Mansfield Man Indicted On Multiple Charges

Michael J. Kisling, 24, of Mansfield, Ohio, was charged with sexual exploitation of a child, receiving, distributing and possessing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and identity theft, said  Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

The indictment charges that from on or about November 1, 2010, through on or about November 22, 2010, Kisling used, persuaded, induced, enticed and coerced a minor, that is, a 14-year-old girl to engage in sexually explicit conduct, for the purpose of producing visual depictions of such conduct, knowing that such visual depictions would be transported using any means and facility of interstate and foreign commerce in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce, and such visual depictions were actually transported using any means and facility of interstate and foreign commerce in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce. 

The indictment also charges that on or about November 22, 2010, and again on or about April 4, 2013, Kisling knowingly distributed, using any means of interstate and foreign commerce and in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce, numerous computer files, which files contained visual depictions of a real minor, that is, a 14-year-old girl engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  

The indictment also charges that on or about April 4, 2013, Kisling knowingly used, without lawful authority, in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce, a means of identification of another person, with the intent to commit a violation of federal law.  

The indictment also charges that on or about December 23, 2013, Kisling knowingly possessed several printed pages that contained visual depictions of a real minor, that is, a 14-year-old girl engaged in sexually explicit conduct, which visual depictions had been shipped and transported using any means and facility of interstate and foreign commerce and in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce.  The indictment also charges that on or about January 28, 2013, through on or about December 10, 2013, Kisling knowingly received in interstate and foreign commerce, numerous digital files, which files contained visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

If convicted, the sentence in this case will be determined by the court after consideration of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines which depend upon a number of factors unique to each case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the unique characteristics of the violation.  In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael A. Sullivan.  The case was investigated by the Canton Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Eau Claire County, Wisconsin Sheriff’s Office.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.